Bernell Dorrough“It’s like having the choice between chocolate and strawberry ice cream,” said Rich Luenemann, head coach of the women’s volleyball team.
Luenemann was referring to sophomore Heidi Pfeiffer and junior Ishi Ballew who are competing for one of the left-side spots. They both have been playing consistently well over the past couple of weeks.
“It’s gratifying to know that either player can step in and play well,” said Luenemann.
These two women may continue to share the playing time throughout the rest of the season.
“[The competition] has affected our relationship, but luckily not in a negative way,” said Ballew. “We both know we’re fighting for the position, but we also know that we’re both working hard. It’s a healthy competition, but it’s still hard because no one wants to split playing time.”
Ballew and Pfeiffer are only two of the many flavors that make up a well-equipped and very talented Bear’s volleyball team.
Sophomore Kara Liefer had an outstanding tournament this past weekend. She totaled 38 kills, 164 assists, and 26 digs, and was named the tournament MVP.
Liefer does not let her success this season go to her head, though it has had an affect on her performance. She continues to strive to improve her game.
“If you have one shining moment, you’re expected to keep that up,” said Liefer. “It’s not necessarily pressure; it’s motivation.”
Nicole Hodgman, sophomore on the team, has added to the team’s achievement.
After impressing the competition last season with her adeptness on the court, she continues to be a valuable asset to the team.
“As a sophomore, I came into the season already knowing the position and what I had to do,” said Hodgman. “It’s a lot tougher this year because the team is being driven harder. We fell short [of winning the national title] last year so we need to push that much more this season.”
Sophomore Megan Houck is yet another flavor on the Bears volleyball menu. Houck continues to play three different positions for the team.
“In college, it is unusual for a player to play three positions,” said Houck. “It’s been difficult because it’s hard to focus on one position when you’re moving from position to position in practice. But it’s a lot of fun.”
Houck’s main position is middle, a position that she has played since eighth grade, and her favorite spot on the court because she likes the quickness of it.
The Bears will face tough competition this weekend when they return to the court at the University Athletic Association Round Robin #2 in Rochester, N.Y. Saturday will feature matches against 14th-ranked Emory University and Carnegie Mellon University. Matches against Brandeis University and 10th-ranked New York University will follow on Sunday.
“This will be an exciting and challenging weekend,” said Luenemann. “We look forward to the play because we enjoy UAA competition, but it certainly will not be a cakewalk.”
The team has been busy preparing in practice all week for its weekend, competition. They have been working on connecting within the quick offense and continuing to improve their service game.
“Last weekend was a huge breakthrough,” said Ballew. “Our passing got a lot better, and most importantly, we did not miss as many serves.”
The players have been focusing on perfecting the mental portion of their game.
“One of the biggest things we’re working on is enthusiasm,” said Hodgman. “We’re trying to get fired up before our matches and maintain that level of focus throughout the match.”
The players have been working well together and have built up substantial momentum. They have a positive outlook on this weekend’s competition.
“It will be a tough weekend, but we’re excited about it,” said Liefer. “We’re going to do well; I have a good feeling.